Preludes

Ra's al Ghul's servant, the White Ghost, plans to bring his master back by transfering his mind to a new body. Talia teaches her son Damian about Ra's, unaware that White Ghost plans to use Damian as a host body. Damian and Talia escape, while White Ghost is pushed into the Lazarus Pit holding Ra's' essence.[1] Damian begins traveling on his own, and his grandfather tests him with assassins.[2]

Batman suspects trouble when he finds traces of an active Lazarus Pit.[1] He goes to I-Ching for counseling, and learns the League of Assassins is trying to find Nanda Parbat. Ra's is resurrected in a decaying body, but he still needs Damian's body to stabilize him. Talia explains that the League has splintered, with her controlling the loyalits and Sensei controlling the extremists. Dragon Fly, Silken Spider and Tiger Moth are sent to distract Batman. Damian escapes from the League to warn Batman that his greatest enemy has returned.[3]

Synopsis

Batman confirms that Ra's al Ghul is back and leaves Talia to pursue him. Damian sneaks into the Batcave looking for help, and has a rematch with Robin who is suspicious of his motives. Alfred offers Damian sanctuary, not realizing that Wayne Manor is surrounded by ninjas.[4]Nightwing arrives to help using the Justice League Teleporter. Damian and Robin are captured when Nightwing is forced to save the Insect Girls from dying.[5] Ra's asks Robin to join him, and offers to resurrect his parents. The Insect Girls are placed in Arkham, brain-damaged from the poison and unable to remember Wayne Manor's secrets. When Alfred and Nightwing travel to Asia, they're ambushed and Alfred takes down Ubu. Talia gives Batman a piece of enchanted armor called the Suit of Sorrows. They find Ra's in Tibet, and he insists that Sensei is the greater threat they must team up against. Ra's announces that one of the two young boys will be his new host, and Batman must decide which one.[6] Batman offers to take Ra's to Nanda Parbat instead, where he can use the legendary Fountain of Life. Sensei finds Nanda Parbat and holds the monks hostage with his Seven Men of Death. Batman dispatches them in a matter of seconds using the Suit, and fights Sensei over the Fountain. It's explained that Sensei is Ra's' disappointed father, and he wants Ra's dead to end his incompetent bloodline. Sensei nearly defeats Batman and they both fall into the Fountain, which burns Sensei while Batman is healed and slightly de-aged. Ra's dies in his temporary body and takes the body of a monk.[7] Ra's takes control of the Sensei's forces in his new body, which is also deteriorating. Robin and Damian break free to fight the forces led by White Ghost back in Ra's stronghold. Robin reconsiders and decides to take Ra's deal, sacrificing himself to allow his loved ones to come back. I-Ching tries to talk him out of it, and Nightwing challenges him to a fight.[8] Nightwing and Robin fight to a stand-still, until I-Ching breaks them apart. Nightwing allows Robin to make his own decision, and Robin ultimately decides that resurrecting his loved ones would be wrong. Alfred, Nightwing, Robin and Talia fly to Nanda Parbat where they find Ra's holding Damian and Batman battling an army of ninjas.[9] Batman rescues Damian and White Ghost sacrifices himself to finally give Ra's a working body. Ra's declares that he will kill them all and Alfred, Batman, Nightwing and Robin make their last stand. Talia knocks out Damian and carries him away so that Batman's legacy might survive. Batman believes they will die here, but Rama Kushna intervenes and banishes Ra's from Nanda Parbat. On the flight home, they realize that it's Christmas, and the four men have a toast to family.[10]